The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-09-27
Ghe M,tla.l!y!Ei1Iq)etrcer.
vuEELtxu, ". VA. sErTEMnEn.,. 1887


u. Concerning wMstllns's Needs.
Isno. our friend "CoId Short" just
little mistaken in hia moralizlngs over the
business situation in Wheeling when he
says in bis last letter that wheeling bad
" noodo increased facllities Tor transport
ing the manufactured producls Of her fac.
tories and mills 10 the consuming and dis
tributing centres Of the West and sonsh?"
We take 1t that transportation fecllitieu
to the Wet and South from Wheeling
are fully up to tho average; certainly they
are as good rs thole OF Pittsburgh, and
Pittsburgh is not feeling depressed these
days Tor lack Of such facilities. We have
three direct lines 10 the West, counting
the Tuscarawan one, and Pittsburgh has
only the came number. OF course VIC are
not undertaking the advantages OF any
additional limo that We can got. but We
take it tina. under tho Interstate Com.
merce law the rates now prevailing would
be the rates II wo had four inatead Of three
lines to tho West. 4
No, the lack CT additional Transports
ton lines to the West aud South 10 not a
fol. want Ut this time in Wheeling. A
half dtxsn liuca would not improve The
depressed nail trade or the manufacture
OF colt steel, both OF which arc auGe:iug
from cau1es altogether outside Of the ques-
ton Of transportation.
"Co!d Short" Was much nearer the
mark; sometime ago when he discoursed
upon the necessity OF cheaper coke, and
when be called attention TO tho West Viz.
GINA coke Gslds out on the line Of the
Ba:!in,o.e & OHIO road as one source for .
cheaper supply. Cheap coke is indeed a
necessity far beyond additional Transport
tation iaciiitiea. This ID Wherein PlttE-
bu.gh has decidsd advantage over us.
Another Of Cur wants is cheaper ore, and
Still! saothor Is m sdiastmen. OF the in
equitable tariff that protects hard steel,
especially steel rails, and does not protect
iofl s.eel, euch rs We make here.
Now, il our friend "Cold Short" can
Rhow Wheeling how to remedy these
drawbacks, or rather if he can stir her up
to I'll earnest effort in ths. direction, he
will perform vastly greater service on
her bchslf than il he presented her with
bran new road "iree gratia."
We are compelled to make cheap nails
and cheap stool on. Of dear raw material.
Consequently trade is dull in these two
special.ies. O:o Is dear by reason Of the
tariff defect that gives steel raila q margin
OF ST. per ton protection SO against sn in
adequate ad valoIem duty OIL steel ingotr,
blooms, slabs and billesa; duty thss 80
made still moro inadequate by fraudulent
unde1valuatioua by importers seaching
for their troe trade ideal. But Tor the
relatively high duty on nteel rails Basss.
lner ores would not be so deur. AS it 10,
they are practically moncpoliz2d By the
rail manu- ,etuter5, and thus nude OK
csesliugly dear. ~
OF course thers 10 another element en-
tcsipg into tho prsscnt depression in steel
cut nails that no do not loso eight OF in
thess rpmarka, viz the competition OF the
wire nail. But 90 mach more the need
for cheaper raw material. We have trans-
portstior facilities that do not nj least dis
criminals sgsins. us, but 1t 10 not 30 in
the matter Of Tariff on products and
materiala.
II should DO unnecessary for tho INTEL.
LIoEScEE 10 Ray that when it speaks Of
ariH inequalities It does not desire them
smooIhed cut by the horizontal ysdRc-
ton plan, nor by any OF the methods pro-
poaed in hostility to the idea and practice
OF protection 10 American indus.ries. And
when cheaper raw material is spoken Of
there is no sympathetic reference to the
cry which prefers the foreign to the Amer.
lean producer Of raw material, ind which
contemplated the undermining OF the
whole protective byatom. Tho INTElll.
GEScER desires to zee the tariff improved
by its friends, not destroyed by i!s enc
mics.
r.H